Getting away with the Alpha's Pup

Chapter 15

Cherry

Seven Years Later

Afternoon light flooded my art studio as I traipsed up the stairs into the airy space. Maisy, my assistant designer, trailed behind me, slower as she gingerly ascended with a gown draped across her arms as though it were made of glass.

“Put it on the mannequin, and you can get on with the alterations this afternoon,” I said.

“Sure thing,” Maisy chirped.

My heels clicked over the hardwood floors, and I folded myself gratefully into my desk chair. I didn’t think I’d sat down all day.

My gaze tracked to the dress Maisy was draping over the mannequin. The striking burgundy gown was a bespoke number made for the actress AJ West. She’d requested me to make something for the BAFTA award ceremony she was attending as a nominee. It wasn’t for another month, and I was pleased with the fitting we’d just had with AJ and that the final alterations had been agreed on.

I slipped one foot out of my heels, massaging its arch with my other foot. The downside to designing and making clothes for celebrities was that they tended to be high maintenance. Where most people would have one or two fittings, A-listers often demanded three or four before they were satisfied. But, as I looked at AJ’s burgundy gown awash in the bright sunshine, I felt the usual excitement trill through me. The celeb would be wearing my design on the red carpet, which I knew would bring a deluge of referrals to my door.

It was a mark of how far I’d come that I was working with so many of the rich and famous. I’d been lucky enough in my fourth and final year of studying at Berlin’s Akademie Mode and Design to be awarded the Black Dress Award for the most-talented designer. Then, a year after graduating, some of my designs had received the MUSE Award for most innovative design. Now, two years after graduating, my reputation was established and I’d been able to rent a storefront here in central Berlin to sell my clothing range. As well as have this studio, where I designed and created. I employed a couple of sales assistants who managed the store, as well as Maisy, to help me here in the studio.

I clicked open my calendar on my computer to check what I had in terms of appointments tomorrow. Then a meeting for this afternoon snagged my eye: final year interns, Mode & Design, introduction, 15:00 pm.

“Oh, bother,” I exclaimed.

Maisy’s dark eyebrows shot up, her gaze darting to me.

“I forgot those final-year students arrive today,” I explained. It was already half past two. “I need to pick Fern up.”

The school bell would be sounding at my daughter’s school at three. That was, perhaps, the biggest surprise I’d had over the last seven years. Shortly after arriving in Berlin, I discovered that I was pregnant. After fretting about what to do, I decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. My university had been amazing about it, and I’d been able to defer for a year. Balancing studying and motherhood had by no means been easy, but I loved being a mom even more than being a designer.

“I can go get Fern if you like,” Maisy offered.

Maisy had been with me for six months, and she really had become indispensable, not just with her excellent work in the studio, but happy to run errands like the school run or grab us dinner when we were pulling late nights here.

I smiled at my assistant. “Thanks, but I need you to finish AJ’s dress this afternoon. I know what she’s like. She’ll just drop by tomorrow even though I said it wouldn’t be ready for two days.”

Maisy nodded, her lips quirking. “Ah, celebs, thank god they pay well.”

I chuckled, nodding in agreement. Despite having three employees, there still never seemed to be enough of them to get everything done. It was why I’d taken on the final-year students as interns. It was a great way to have an extra few sets of hands in exchange for giving them experience within a real work setting.

My gaze tracked to the rails of clothes and design books I wanted to look out before they arrived. I pulled a few of the sketches tacked up above my laptop from the wall: my new design range for the fall.

Then, I fished my phone out of my handbag. Scrolling through my contacts, I called Carl.

He picked up after two rings. “Hi Hun, how’s it going?”

“Hey, Carl,” I said. “Good, thanks, but I forgot I had this meeting this afternoon. Any chance you can pick up Fern in half an hour?”

“I’d be happy to,” he said smoothly. My smile grew. “You’re the best.”

“No worries, Darling. We’ll have dinner ready for when you get back. See you later.”

My stomach fluttered as I said goodbye and hung up. Carl had used “Hun” plenty for the last two months we’d been dating, but he’d never used “Darling.” I liked the way it had just fallen from his lips so easily. I liked him. And, perhaps even more importantly, Fern didn’t seem to hate him like she had my other exes. It had been a year since I’d attempted to date since my last relationship. And it had been a welcome surprise to see Fern warm to my latest suitor. He’d picked her up and cooked dinner for her last week too.